DEACON UPDATE
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 | Strangers No More |
October 2013
I don’t know much about raising chickens, but apparently when adding a new one to the flock it's best to slip her into the coop when the other chickens are asleep. The next day the old hens assume that she's always been there, and the new gal wakes up happy in what, as far as she can tell, is the same nest she’s always slept in.
Admittedly chickens aren’t known for being the sharpest tacks in the box. But there is something about this construct of nature that I find very appealing when I think of new people in our congregations. We humans are a bit more evolved than chickens, so there is a good chance we will notice newcomers (and if we don’t, that’s a whole other conversation…); new folks will almost certainly realize they have come to a new place. But what if, after just a few visits, we find ourselves saying, "Wow. It’s like the Clarks have always been here." And what if, more importantly, the Clarks are saying, "Wow. It’s like we’ve come home."
How do we get there? How might we show hospitality in such a way that new sisters and brothers quickly feel like they’ve always been a part of our church family? How do we show what being Brethren is about? How do we help them discern if being Brethren might just be what they are all about, too?
Hospitality is a calling, a ministry, a critical steppingstone to discipleship. Open not just your doors, but your arms and your hearts to people hungry to hear the good news of Jesus. Welcome them into the nest.
"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it."
Hebrews 13:2 |
Church of the Brethren | 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, Illinois 60120
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